Augers and pneumatic conveyors are used in a variety of circumstances to move granular material from one location to another. Among other uses, augers and pneumatic conveyors are used to move grain from one location to another. Virtually every farmer has equipment that contains augers including for example combines, grain carts, and swing away augers. Similarly, pneumatic conveyors are used in peanut harvesters to convey peanuts from one location to another. As a result of continuing use, the tubes of the augers and of the pneumatic conveyors wear out from the friction of the granular material within the tubes, and the tubes require repair or replacement.
A conventional grain auger 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Such a conventional grain auger 10 comprises a steel auger tube 12, with an inside wall 36 and an outside wall 38, and an auger screw 14 fitted for rotation within the auger tube 12. The auger screw 14 comprises an auger shaft 16 surrounded by auger flights 18. The auger flights 18 have an outside diameter that is less than the inside diameter of the auger tube 12. Consequently, a clearance 20 exists between the inside wall 36 of the auger tube 12 and the outside diameter of the auger flights 18.
When the auger tube 12 wears out, replacement of the auger tube 12, which is a complex welded assembly, can be very expensive. One solution to the problem of a worn-out auger tube 12 is to repair the conventional auger 10 by inserting a liner into the clearance 20 of the auger 10 between the inside wall 36 of the auger tube 12 and the outside diameter of the auger flights 18. Such a conventional auger liner is typically an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW polyethylene). The cost of using an UHMW polyethylene auger liner is significantly less than replacing or repairing the steel auger tube 12, and the UHMW polyethylene auger liner will outlast the steel auger tube by some appreciable margin.
A conventional UHMW polyethylene auger liner comprises a cylindrical auger liner body having a gap and a separate steel seam. In order to install such a conventional UHMW polyethylene auger liner, the auger screw must first be removed from the auger tube. With the auger screw removed, the auger liner body with its gap is inserted into the auger tube in the clearance between the outside diameter of the auger flights and the inside wall of the auger tube. Once the auger liner body is in place, the steel seam is inserted into the gap in the auger liner body to force the auger liner body against the inside wall of the auger tube. If, after the steel seam has been inserted, the auger liner needs to be tighter at the top or bottom of the auger liner, one or more metal shims must be inserted into one or all of four locations (two at the top of the steel seam and two at the bottom of the steel seam). The need to shim the space around the steel seam results in limiting the length of the auger liner that can be installed and also requires access to both ends of the auger tube. Once the conventional auger liner is in place, the steel seam is bolted to the auger tube to hold auger liner in place. Again, the need to bolt the steel seam to the auger tube requires access to the entire length of the auger tube with the auger screw removed. The same prior art method may be used to repair the tube of a pneumatic conveyor.